I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to liquid atomizing devices and, more particularly, to such a device for use in the air induction tube of a carburetor for an internal combustion engine.
II. Description of the Prior Art
Although there any many different types of carburetors which are used to supply an air/fuel mixture to an internal combustion engine, most of them include a source of fuel which is fluidly connected to an air induction tube by a fuel jet. Oftentimes, the fuel jet is positioned within a venturi tube coaxially disposed within the carburetor air induction tube.
Upon operation of the internal combustion engine, the engine inducts or draws air through the carburetor air induction tube and, in doing so, continuously draws a small amount of fuel from the fuel jet. This fuel becomes intermixed with the inducted air to form an air/fuel mixture which is burned within the internal combustion engine.
These previously known fuel jets, however, typically comprise a tube having a relatively large opening which faces downstream with respect to the air induction tube. Thus, fuel is drawn from the fuel jet in relatively large droplets which, due to their relatively large size, do not become fully atomized prior to the combustion of the air/fuel mixture in the engine.
The only partial atomization of the fuel with the inducted air is disadvantageous in several different respects. First, the incomplete atomization of the fuel with the air results in incomplete combustion of the air/fuel mixture within the engine combustion chamber. As such, the unburned fuel resulting from an incomplete combustion is wastefully exhausted into the engine exhaust system. In order to burn this exhausted fuel, it has been the previous practice to employ expensive air pumps driven by the engine and having their outlet coupled to the exhaust manifold for the engine in order to complete the after burn of the fuel.
A still further disadvantage of the incomplete atomization obtained by these previously known fuel jets when they are used with internal combustion engines having a plurality of engine combustion chambers or cylinders, is that an uneven air/fuel mixture is supplied to the various combustion chambers. The uneven air/fuel mixture which is supplied to the different combustion chambers in turn causes fouling of the engine spark plugs which further decreases the overall engine performance.
Lastly, the incomplete fuel atomization and the resulting incomplete combustion adversely affects the fuel mileage capability of an automotive vehicle which is driven by the engine. The fuel economy for the internal combustion engine is particularly critical in view of the current high cost of fuel and also in view of governmental fuel economy regulations.